Cars at the 1969 CANAM Series

In 1969 the CANAM series was at its fourth edition. Only at the first edition, in 1966, Lola could win with the T70 of John Surtees. In 1967 Lola could still win one of the six rounds, again with Jon Surtees at the wheel, but the domination of the Kiwi McLarens had already started with a series victory for Denny Hulme. In 1968 the McLarens won each of the six rounds: three by Denny Hulme in the M8A, one for Bruce McLaren in a similar car, one for Mark Donohue in an M8B and one, surprisingly, by John Cannon in the old McLaren Elva M1B. Series victory was again for Hulme. Up to then CANAM races were essentially a battle between the McLarens and the Lolas, with Jim Hall's Chaparral always as a potential winning third, but having failed to score more than one victory (in 1966 with the 2E of Phil Hill). After 18 combats the score in the McLaren versus Lola fight was up to 11-6. 
In 1968 Eric Broadley of Lola had done great efforts to produce a more productive car than his Mk3B having won only once in 1967. The result was the new Lola T160, which, unfortunately, was completely unreliable. For 1969 he launched his Lola T163, but he lost his top driver after John Surtees decided to join Chaparral. Apart of Chuck Parsons (the 1966 USRRC champion) and Peter Revson, Broadley had no longer top drivers behind the wheel of his cars, especially after Mark Donohue (the 1967 and 1968 USRRC champion) and Penske had other targets for the season (Indianapolis 500 miles).
At McLaren, CANAM racing was the start of good business. Indeed the Trojan division was now fully involved in the produc-tion of consumer cars. They launched an M6B version for clients, based upon the M6A having won the 1967 CANAM. A more competitive version was the McLaren M12, exclusively sold to clients, which was a combination of the M8A having won the 1968 CANAM series and the older MA6. Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren himself raced pure works cars at the 1969 series, the McLaren M8B.
The 1969 CANAM series is the start of a double technological evolution. Jim Hall, having started using a high rear wing on his Chaparral 2E in 1967, has at once lots of followers. Car owners begin to understand that aerodynamics are much more important than always was believed: wings help to increase the down force of the cars. (Only Enzo Ferrari is strongly opposed against the dangerous high wings.) The other change concerns the engines. Up to then all engines, most of them being V8 Chevrolets, used compact heavy weight motor blocks. Up from 1969 we see larger but lighter aluminium motor blocks on the most competitive cars. An example which will be largely followed in later years.

First lap of round #9 of the 1969 CANAM Series at Laguna Seca. In front we find the bright orange McLarens M8B of Denny Hulme (#5) and Bruce McLaren (#4). On the second row Peter Revson, having realised the third qualification time, is no longer there after he missed his start. So we find left the McLeagle Mk6B of Dan Gurney and the McLaren M12 of Canada's George Eaton.  Then, alone on the third row, we find the Lola T163 of Chuck Parsons.  He's followed at the left by the Porsche 917PA of Jo Siffert and at the right the McLaren M12 of Canada's McLaren importer Lothar Motschenbacher (having at least ten McLaren race cars in his garage). Don't look after Chris Amon's Ferrari 612P: the car, having suffered again from overheated oil, was not ready for the race, so Bruce offered country mate Amon his spare car with chassis M8A/2, raced with the #3. As Chris didn't practice with the car he had to start from the very last row. One round earlier Bruce offered the same car to Dan Gurney, who brought it home as third at Michigan. At the end of the queue we see that the bright orange McLaren M8B of Chris Amon has already passed two cars.

At McLaren they replaced already last year the old 525bhp heavy 5,970 cc engine in their works M6A by the new 6,992 cc Chevrolet V8 with the aluminium block and the aluminium cylinder heads. The motor is derived from the 427 (7-litre) ZL1 as used in hairy American road cars. The tuning is done by McLaren Engine Division. themselves. For the customers they let make 26 McLarens M6B derived from last year's winning M6A, all equipped with a 580bhp Chevrolet V8. The hybrid McLaren M12 receives the new motor, 600bhp strong. Those cars are built in England by Trojan, who built in 1966 and 1967, with the co-operation of Elva, the now obsolete McLaren Elva M1B (Mark 2) and M1C (Mark 3). Such cars are still raced in the 1969, but are deemed to finish among the back benchers. The two works cars M8B and the rebuilt M6A/1 and M6A/2 (serving as spare cars for Bruce and Denny) are equipped with a 620bhp version of the ZL1 V8.  Just as the works M8B cars the new hybrid M12s can be equipped with an elevated rear wing in connection with the rear suspension. However the works cars are 10cm wider, use an aluminium monocoque chassis with titanium parts  and a completely re-designed body, developed by Robin Herd and Gordon Coppuck.
A very special McLaren M6B was the McLeagle M6B. In 1968 All American Racers (AAR) entered two of them in the CANAM series, equipped with a 5,000 cc Ford V8 engine. Better than a fourth place for Steve Savage and a sixth for Dan Gurney could not be done. In 1969 AAR - producer of the F1 Eagle - modifies the car thoroughly, "many parts with titanium pieces, suspension geometry changes, reshaped nose, and cockpit changes to accommodate Gurney's larger frame. The car never appeared at any two races in the same configuration. The tail section was substantially changed for 1969, and various wing setups were tried. During the season, it used several versions of Ford-based engines. After failure to obtain any suitable Ford engines in mid-1969 (causing it to miss 6 races) a big-block Chevrolet was installed for the final three races." However, at the qualifications as well at the races the car was never competitive.
Although the Lola "big bangers" had already a monocoque chassis in 1966, one year earlier than the McLarens, they had a dry weight of 645 kilo, 30 more than the works McLarens. Already since 1968 the Lola T160, a serious development of the former monocoque T70, was with an elevated rear wing. The T162 and T163 of 1969 had no longer a serious factory support and were no match for the McLarens. Even the best prepared T163, the one of Carl Haas Racing, a machinery driven by Chuck Parsons, could not follow the new McLarens M8B in what was called the Bruce & Denny Show. The car collected four podium places. Several privateers continued to drive the old Lola T70 Mk3B, using engines developing between 500 to 550bhp, but they were only involved in an internal fight with the old McLaren Elvas M1C.
The former Ford Caliope, announced by Ford with a lot of big fuss in 1967 - but never raced - has been sold to the Agapiou Bros. They let it race as the Ford G7A by such famous racers as Jack Brabham, George Follmer, John Cannon or Peter Revson, but failing entry after entry. Being fully dominated by Chevrolet in CANAM racing Dearborn asks Alan Mann to develop a secret weapon, the Open Sports Ford. With a fully aluminium and titanium chassis and an aluminium body the mysterious car is equipped with a 6,036cc Ford 429 engine. Contrarily to the Ford P68 and P69 of Alan Mann - having been brought home at not one single race it entered among the prototypes - the totally unknown Open Sports Ford is fast, competitive and reliable. Unfortunately the car, a potential challenger of the two unbeatable works McLarens, is only ready for the two last rounds. At the last round of the season, in hands of Jack Brabham, the strange car finished third. Nearly nothing is known about the car's antecedents. Rumours go that it has been entered in a couple of sprint races in Europe.

Starting the season much is expected from the new 7-litre Chaparral 2H, powered with a 630 bhp Chevrolet V8. "Although introduced by Jim Hall in 1966, not many cars besides the Chaparrals used high wings for extra downforce. Several cars carried them in 1969, but Hall himself introduced another radical car, the previously mentioned Chaparral 2H. Dubbed The Great White Whale, because it looked like one, it would not be one of Hall's better efforts. It was originally designed as a narrow coupe with windows in the doors because the driver sat so low in the body. Driver John Surtees felt that visibility was poor and had Hall take the car's canopy off and raise the driver's seat. The vestigial passenger seat remained under the bodywork. There was a low wing at the back of the body. This Chaparral didn't cut it. The team bought a McLaren M12 to use while they continued to sort the 2H out. At one point in the season, the 2H wore a huge wing in the center of the car with the struts mounted to the sides of the car. Quite possibly, the most bizarre looking racer ever built. Although Hall and Surtees never got along well, Hall took full responsibility for the failure. He felt that had he not broken his legs, which kept him from test driving, he could have sorted the car out." Only in 1970 Jim Hall will find a solution to beat the McLarens, when he launches his 2J with aspired ground effects. Unfortunately the car, riding as up rails, will be banned from competition. Earlier in 1969, John Surtees drove a McLaren M12, waiting the 2H being ready to race.
Another total new car is the Autocast Ti-22. Designed by Peter Bryant, the car is an anticipation on the rile changes which will be applied up from 1970: dangerous high wings will be forbidden and the surface of the wing will be seriously reduced. "Bryant chose to make the car a single aerodynamic device. In addition, the monocoque chassis would be built of both aluminum and titanium. Much of the suspension was also made of titanium. It was chosen because the car needed to be very strong and very light. Titanium is 60% lighter than steel and is much stiffer than aluminum. This was the first time that titanium was used in any quantity in a car. Hence, the name "Ti22", which is the atomic symbol and weight of titanium. Power came from the ever popular Chevy V8, a 7,003cc." In 1969 the car will only be entered at three rounds, struggling with child diseases. But at the first round of the 1970 the car finishes already second, having led the McLarens during most of the race.
The entry of Porsche in the 1969 CANAM was certainly not scheduled as the firm of Zuffenhausen had not such cars. When the works prototypes came to Watkins Glen for the 6 hours race on Saturday, counting for the endurance world championship, the team heard about the high money prizes which could be won at a 200 miles race on Sunday. So, two works Porsches 908-02 were entered on Sunday for Jo Siffert and Brian Redman, whilst Tony Dean entered his own 908-02 for round #3 at the Glen. Although completely underpowered the 908s were brought homes as sixth and ninth. "Siffert returned, two rounds later, with a Porsche 917PA, an open topped (spyder) version of the recently develo-ped 917 endurance racer. The 917 had a complex aluminium-tube space frame chassis and was powered by an air cooled, 580bhp 4.5-liter flat-12 engine. It was heavy (750 kgs versus 650 for most big bangers) and under-powered compared to the 7-liter Chevys prevalent in the Can-Am. Siffert's best finish was a third, but he did finish fourth in the Can-Am championship after only racing two thirds of the season."

Tony Dean, the British Porsche importer, did eight of the eleven rounds, finishing at seven of them in the top-10. In CANAM's history Dean is known as an absolute legend, as, in 1970, he succeeded to interrupt at Road Atlanta team McLaren's 19 race win streak, and this with a 3-litre car, having not half of the horse power of all defeated big bangers.

Apart from the Autocast Ti-22, being still under development, those were the lonely two cars able to compete with the terrible McLarens M8B at the 1969 "Bruce & Denny show". In front we find Jack Brabham behind the wheel of Alan Mann's mysterious Open Sports Ford, followed by Chris Amon in the 0866 Ferrari, here equipped with a 7-litre engine. Compared to the McLarens both cars were intrinsically faster, but they were never seriously tested. They showed at the CANAM with ridiculous small crews compared to the large and very professional crew Bruce McLaren brought with him at the start of every round.

More exciting than all other entries at the 1969 CANAM was of course that by Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari himself was nearly not interested in CANAM racing, being strongly opposed to the use of Chaparral 2E or 2G style of high wings. He had no interest in aerodynamic improvement of bodies, as done by Ford in the States since 1963, and we have to wait the end of 1968 before Ferrari will use an aerodynamicist (Giacomo Caliri who helped to develop the 312P). Without the pressure of Luigi Chinetti of N.A.R.T. and Bill Harrah, the Ferrari distributor for the West Coast of the United States, there should not have been CANAM Ferraris on the grid of the three last rounds of 1967 and at the last round for 1968. In 1969 Ferrari accepts to continue the CANAM programme, "primarily to keep Chinetti and Harrah happy" (Anthony Pritchard, 2004: 149). So the Ferrari 612P, having been entered at the last round of the previous year was sent back to Maranello where, with the help of engineer Mauro Forghieri, a a wider and lighter bodywork was installed with neither aerofoil nor front brake flap. The weight of the 1969 612P decreased from 750 kg to 670 kg (which was still 40 more than the McLaren M8B). Motor was still the 6,221 cc 60° V12, now developing 660bhp (instead of 620 in 1968) at 7,500 rpm (7,000 in 1968). Transmission was by a four-speed gearbox in union with the final drive.
Involved in F1 and F2, preparing the new 3-litre 312P prototype, involved in the European Hill-Climb Championship with the ultra light Dino 212E for Peter Schetty, and having financial problems, Enzo Ferrari decided that the 612P with chassis 0866 was to be run by a private venture based in Detroit with Chris Amon as driver. Compared to the M8Bs the 612P was faster, developed more horse power, but missed their reliability. Over the works McLarens Michael J. Stucker wrote: "What was McLaren's secret? They rarely introduced great innovations. What they did better than anyone else was test, test, test. Many teams would show up for the first Can-Am of the year with a brand new car that had absolutely no miles on it. McLaren would work out the bugs in the off-season, so that they could concentrate on racing when the season started. What is truly amazing, is how long it took other teams to catch on to what McLaren was doing." John Starkey puts his finger on the open wound when he writes: "The only problem for the 612P was the entourage which accompanied the car. It consisted of only Chris Amon, a journalist-cum-team manager and two mechanics" (John Starkey, Christopher Renwick, and Philippe Olczyk, 1998: 205). The journalist, functioning as team manager, was Bill Gavin, whilst Roger Bailey was the first mechanic (out of ... two!). Amon insisted to use a high wing as the other cars, and obtained a concession of Il Commendatore, letting his team free build and to fit one, however without accepting the smallest responsibility. We have to wait round #3 to see Amon's 612P arriving for the 203-mile (327km) race at Watkins Glen. It is raced without wing, and we have to wait round #5 at Lexington to see the car appearing with a high mounted wing designed by Paul Lamar of Chaparral. As it was not properly braced and was flopping about at the qualifications, there was no other solution than to remove it for the race. But at the following round, at Elkhart Lake, the Lamar wing was securely mounted and raced. Main problem of the car was the oil pump. When the engines were sent back after each race to Maranello, to be rebuilt, one noticed that the bearings showed signs of very high oil temperatures to the point that several races could not be finished. About this Amon told later; "I was seeing very high oil temperatures, around 1200C from memory and on the factory's advice we had fitted a larger aircraft-specification oil cooler at Elkhart Lake. This had resulted in an immediate 10° to 15° drop in oil temperature and so we assumed that we were on a winner. But when I retired at Elkhart Lake, we assumed that the cause was oil pump failure and, basically, these problems continued for the rest of the season."
Of all racers, Chris Amon is undoubtedly the best placed, to compare the McLaren M8B with the Ferrari 612P. At the round of Laguna Seca, he lost the oil pressure of his engine during the qualifications. So his country mate Bruce McLaren offered him a seat in the team's spare car, a former M6A having been completely rebuilt to M8B specs. Amon was not impressed by the drive: "From Elkhart Lake onwards I considered that the 612P was a superior handling car to the McLarens and in comparison I was quite disappointed with the McLaren when I drove one at Laguna Seca. Oil-related problems ruined our whole season. Was it an oil supply temperature problem or a supply problem such as insufficient pump capacity? At the end of the season, in desperation, really, we cut this top-specification oil cooler in two and found that it had a major internal restriction caused by a manufacturing fault." Although Amon could lead the two works McLarens at several rounds, it finished only three times - once second and twice third - and Amon had to slow down the car towards the end of the races due to too high oil temperatures.
For the two last races the team received the supposed 6.9-litre engine from Maranello (later Mauro Forghieri declared that it concerned "only" a 6,781 cc engine). The car, now known as the 712P, continued to suffer from overheated oil. It didn't finish at the last two races.
At one round the 3-litre Ferrari 312P Berlinetta was entered, at the Bridgehampton round. Luigi Chinetti took delivery of this 0870, let it be raced at the Le Mans 24 hours, and entered it under the banner of his North American Racing Team at the Bridgehampton Grand Prix in mid-September. The Long Island race was round #7 of the 1969 CANAM Championship. Having been altered little since its Le Mans outing, Pedro Rodriguez started 0870 from 11th on the grid. Clearly the fastest 3-litre entry throughout, it looked as though a deserved class win wasn't going to happen when on the very last lap, Rodriguez had to make an emergency pit stop for fuel. The Porsche 908 Spyder of Tony Dean then swept past the pits just as Rodriguez was making his way out, but when Dean was subsequently slowed by a backmarker, the Mexican took his opportunity, regained the class lead and finished fifth overall. That was that for 1969, Chinetti taking 0870 the short trip back to his warehouse in downtown New York where it was joined by a 0872 before the end of the year.
Among the group 6 prototypes which were entered at the 1969 CANAM we a Matra-Simca MS650, a Lola T70 Mk3 Coupe and a Matra-Simca MS630/650. At the Glen they finished in that order as 7th, 8th and 10th.
"Bob McKee built cars that were run in the Can-Am from 1966 through 1969. The most famous one was named the Cro-Sal Special McKee Mk10. Raced in 1969, it had a turbocharged Oldsmobile engine - the first turbocharged engine in the Can-Am. A second version had a flip-up airbrake mounted on top of the engine's air induction plenum. Joe Leonard finished eighth at St. Jovite in the Cro-Sal Special. A 4-wheel drive version of this car appeared for one race, but failed to qualify."